Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told German newspaper Die Welt said there is a false idea that older Western European countries simply give money to newer EU members like Poland and receive little in return.
During the interview, Morawiecki said that the EU has found itself on the “crossroads of history” following Brexit but that he believes Britain’s departure and the Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations should be an opportunity for the EU to win the race for a better and more just future.
Morawiecki emphasized that the first step in achieving that goal is to secure a fair EU budget.
The prime minister pointed out that, so far, budget negotiations were divided into stereotypes, with the roles falling into two camps: the fiscally responsible northern European countries and those countries in the east and crisis-hit south of Europe that need more investment.
He compared the situation to a bag of presents, in which there is a false perception that older EU members pay for the gifts and the younger ones receive them.
“This is an incorrect but also untrue interpretation,” Morawiecki said, adding that it is the richer EU states, for whom the single internal market brings massive profits.
